Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Former councilman faces prison on bribery, fraud charges
Former Strongsville Councilman Pat Coyne is expected to be sentenced on corruption charges next week. Sentencing is set for 11:30 a.m. Sept. 7 before U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan. Coyne pleaded guilty June 10 to five charges in connection with bribing a Hinckley developer and bilking an acqaintance out of $32,000 by getting him to invest in a non-existent Krispy Kreme doughnut franchise. Coyne has been on house arrest since entering the guilty plea. He resigned from City Council May 6. He could face up to 45 years in prison, but is expected to be sentenced to three to four years following a plea agreement. The bribery charges stemmed from the ongoing Cuyahoga County corruption probe. Coyne admitted to taking $20,000 in bribes …
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Arraignment before U.S. District judge set for 10 a.m.
Former Councilman Pat Coyne is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court Friday morning to answer to federal charges. An arraignment is set for 10 a.m. before Judge Patricia A. Gaughan. Coyne, who resigned from his City Council seat May 6, a few days before he was arrested for bribery, has been charged with five counts relating to accepting bribes and running a fraudulent investment scheme that allegedly bilked an investor out of $32,000. His attorney, Craig Weintraub, could not be reached for comment. However, it has been reported that Coyne is expected to plead guilty. The charges allege he accepted four $5,000 bribes from Hinckley developer David Terry for favorable consideration of Terry's Strongsville projects. Terry has pleaded …
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Prosecutors say he tried to swindle an investor just before he was arrested in May
When former Councilman Pat Coyne was arrested earlier this month, it was based on an allegation he had taken $20,000 in bribes from developer Dave Terry. But when formal charges were finally filed Friday, they included other allegations of fraud involving a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop and his former job at the Cuyahoga County Coroner's office. The Krispy Kreme scam took place this spring, while Coyne was already under investigation for taking the bribes, according to prosecutors. Illegal Hiring At the coroner's office, Coyne and others "abused their official positions by exerting influence over county hiring and personnel decisions in return for private gain," the charge says. It says Terry gave Coyne $20,000 for positive influence in Terry…
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Successor to Pat Coyne to be chosen
A total of 27 people are seeking to replace Pat Coyne on Strongsville City Council. Eleven of the candidates filed for the post on Friday, which was the last day to apply. They are: Emanuel (Manny) Estrela, 15239 Old Oak Drive; Steve Sinisgalli, 20637 Westminster Drive; Anthony P. Zubek, 16689 Timberline Drive; Ruth A. Brickley, 20762 Pineview Circle; Brian Jungeberg, 12664 South Churchill Way; Mel Miller, 12615 Janette Ave.; Barry Zimmerman, 17651 Hampton Place; Danny F. Easa, 18084 N. Inlet Drive; John A. Palmer, 12221 The Bluffs; David M. Gusman, 20578 Pembrooke Oval; Ron Stebbins, 13475 Webster Rd.; Peter A. Rossi, Jr., 14904 Cortland Way; Tobey C. Cook, 20667 Chestnut Drive; Lora A. Petric, 19728 Stoughton Drive; John …
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
New rep will serve till end of 2013
City Council is now accepting applications for the at-large seat vacated by Pat Coyne last week. Council President Mike Daymut said those interested in seeking the seat can submit applications to City Hall by 4:30 p.m. May 27. The replacement will serve until the end of Coyne's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2013. "I'm looking for serious applicants who are willing to serve that long," Daymut said. Law Director Ken Kraus said council has 30 days from the next council meeting to appoint a new representative, according to the city charter. With the next meeting set for Monday, that gives council until June 15. If members don't appoint by then, the duty falls to Mayor Tom Perciak, Kraus said. Coyne abruptly resigned from council Friday, May 6, …
Friday, May 6, 2011
At-large rep has been implicated in Cuyahoga County corruption probe
Councilman at large Pat Coyne, who has been linked to the Cuyahoga County corruption probe, resigned Friday from City Council. Coyne did not offer an explanation in his brief resignation letter. Council President Mike Daymut said he opened a letter from Coyne Friday and found it contained a one-sentence resignation. Coyne was implicated last year in the ongoing corruption probe in Cuyahoga County when he fit the description of a public official who allegedly accepted bribes from Hinckley developer Dave Terry. Terry pleaded guilty to giving four $5,000 bribes to a Strongsville councilman who also worked for the Cuyahoga County Coroner's office. The councilman was not named, but the description could refer only to Coyne, who is a Democrat…
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Appointments expected at Monday's meeting
Councilman at large Pat Coyne, who was removed from all City Council committees last year after being implicated in the Cuyahoga County corruption probe, will be allowed to serve on committees this year and will chair one of them. Coyne has not been charged with a crime. But he was implicated in the corruption probe last fall after David Terry, a Hinckley developer with a number of projects in Strongsville, pleaded guilty to bribing a Strongsville official in exchange for political favors. Terry admitted to giving the official $20,000 in 2008. The official was not named, but his description matches Coyne. Coyne subsequently lost his job as human resources director for the Cuyahoga County Coroner's office. Former Strongsville Council …
Denise
3:22 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
I have no problem looking in a mirror. more ›